The semi-weekly fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-09-04

footing changing mysterious bells, now beat
ing the water. now idle, backing. gong for
ward rocking idly, never at rest-an
these filled the expanse of waters; and be
yond the gray curtains OF the mist were
drawn to hide the hills and spires.
Finally all was ready. Inc two yachts
had hojstei their anchors and were standing
to and fro like two thorOughbreds on a track,
watching each other and the flagship.
They had the same sail set, mclud-
ing those mentioned, and the baby
lib topsail Their perfect symmetry made
them seem small. They were the centres OF
observation to an immense circle OF boats. Tor
all the craft had been forced back till they
formed an immense ring on the water. as If for
a contest with soft gloves for the two nation
al representatives The Regatta Committee
on the steam yacht Electra 10, ed at their
watches ''Bang' went the El~1tras gun.
1t was 1920 o'clock.
The yachts stood back and forth uneasiIy
"Bangr' went the second gun at 1870, and
almost with its echo the Thistle came about,
and, under the light breeze, crossed the line
first
The Electra footed, and then the hullabaloo
was indeScribable. Every whistle was
turned loose to its fullest capacity Above
the dull roar of the big ones rose the
shriel1s, screams and sGueals OF the little
steamers. . BrO-O-o-o-o,n - Bra-a-a-a-a.n
- Bre-e-e-e,' g Brow-ow- the whistles
steamed away in diSSonant and deaf
ening chorus, their boats covered with steam,
through which the smoke of many guns came
a pack of big firecrackers, could scarcely be
heard in the grand uproar that prevailed
Amid the magnificent racket the Volunteer
crossed on the heels of her rival, the respec-
tive time of the two being 12:345 81 and
12:33:O6 The breeze was from the
south. Both boats stood across the
bay, the Volunteer reaching furthest.
Then over the faces of the specta-
tors on the wharves, of the additional thou
sands that lined the shores, of the black
thrOngS on the two forts, and the multitude
on the verandas of the shore hotels came a
look OF blankest surprise. The Volunteer,
furtheSt lnShOre, had caught a breeze. The
Thistle was unlucky and did not share it. The
Boston yacht began to speed down the Bay in
the most cheerful and careless of moods,
while the Thistle stood still on the face of the
waters. Minute after minute the strange
sight continued. 1t was partly luck and
partly Judgment, but it unfortunate.
The race was to be ended at the start it
seemed.
Yard after ward the Volunteer crept away
until she had nearly a mile the advantage.
Then the sails of the Thistle filled, and she,
too started, but too late. 1t was one of
those ACCIDENTS GG that occur in all
points TO the westward The Volunteer had
caught it long ahead of her rival, and as she
went ahead of her down the Bay it constantly
freshened, and she got the first of its fresh
gradually, and the Thistle, trying to follow
the Volunteer continually fell off, until it
seemed that she was no match for the Burgess
boat in pointing. She headed in close to the
wind and fell off so often as her sails began to
futter that the superiority of the centerboard
boat in close sailing became more apparent
in seeming than it was in fact. The whole
fleet of spectators were surprised. They had
looked forward to a very close race, and 1t
had become simply procession.
ALI the way out to the Southwest Spit this
state of affairs continued. The throng of
boats rushed into the NarrOwS close to-
gether that it seemed if could pass
from fort to fort by merely jumping from
deck to deck. They went forward rapidly
to keep up with the Volunteer, and,
consequently, interfered with the
Thistle. The wash of the steamers natur
ally impeded her progress; and this would
have been a source of general regret had
not the same thing happened later on to the
Volunteer, SO that the injury was equalized.
The Volunteer was away i'll the lead, like
snowwhite lamb leading the flock. They all
stuck close to her, leaving the Thistle far be-
hind, like a little black sheep that nobody
would speak to.
The course to the lightshp was in the same
order with the same Incidents The old red
ship. with its round day marks at the mast
head, rolled in quite a sprightly fashion
over the responsibility which had been
thrust upon it, and was gorgeous
with an entire new set of Stars |
and Stripes. The floating city surrounded
her long before the Volunteer arrived. When
the white boat rounded they made such a
ana dS Gu0 IlSuISllp
never heard before. 1t was a new Venice
out in the ocean. Secretary Whitney de
clared it the greatest marine spectacle that
New FORK had ever seen.
The hOmeWard course was not exciting. The |
Volunteer had lead that it impossible
for the Thistle to overcome. After rounding
Buoy 10 she set her Spinnaker and fairly flew.
The Electra people made themselves merry.
The plain and simple fare of the cabin was |
discussed with interest.
During the long course homeward the posi-
tion of the two boats changed little. Finally |
the feet of steamers, augmented by number |
less yachts that had been waiting up the Bay, |
came to standstiu about Buoy ID. The
Electra came to anchor. Everybody was J
waiting to welcome the victor.
She came sweeping over the waters as if
she were alive. Her snow-white spinnaker
was drawing to its fullest, and she seemed
like a hurrying white cloud. The green
waves curled away under her fore
foot holding up to her white gar
lands of victory. In the West the sink
ing sun was a disk of molten red fire. Across
the dull green water marking line straight
from the buoy TO the flagship, it scattered
fecks of ruddy liquid gold to mark the win
ming line. The steam fleet stood silent and |
breathless. The Regatta Committee watched
vigilantly.
came into line. With roar the two guns
of the Electra went off together. a broad
were wreathed in blue powder smoke. ,
The signals futtered, the spectators |
cheered, the tugs, like a flock of
brown beetles, rushed across the line to con-
graduate her, and the whistles could have !
been heard when they once got to going by |